Alzheimer's disease and diabetes: where is the connection?

In the past decade, scientists have found significant evidence that the causes of DM2 and Alzheimer's disease are related.

DM2 occurs when insulin's effectiveness in removing glucose from the bloodstream is reduced, which leads to high blood sugar levels and can trigger abnormally high cholesterollevels. A similar situation occurs in Alzheimer's disease, but the effect is not on the body as a whole, but on the brain.

Thatcher and his group had the goal of identifying compounds that would counteract the changes in the body that provoke both diseases.

How does cholesterol affect the brain?

When cholesterol levels rise due to insulin resistance or other factors, the body triggers a process known as reverse cholesterol transport, in which certain molecules carry excess cholesterol to the liver for excretion.

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a major genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease as well as type 2 diabetes, is one of the proteins involved in reverse cholesterol transport.

The decreased activity of another cholesterol transporter, A1 (ABCA1), increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, DM2, and Alzheimer's disease.

An overview of the study

Moving cholesterol to where it is needed in the body has positive effects on many physiological processes and can help get rid of the accumulation of abnormal forms of protein that accumulate in the brain in Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Thatcher was able to isolate a specific molecule, CL2-57, that can help regulate cholesterol levels in the brain by improving ABCA1 function in the body. The use of this compound has been shown to increase glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. One of the positive effects is slower weight gain in patients.

Increased ABCA1 activity is expected to positively affect insulin secretion and reduce inflammation in the brain, offering a chance of curing both DM2 and Alzheimer's disease.

18 June 2021